Harry Potter 1. Chapter 1

Charlie's Romania

Chapter 1

From his hilltop perch, Charlie examined the Romanian village below him. It resembled nothing close to the vibrant, buoyant villages he had witnessed when he first came to Romania. Back then, the villages had reminded him of home. Bustling with children and laughter, they had made him feel at home even though he was a long way from the Burrow.

The sun would be setting soon and he had to find shelter for the night. Night seemed to fall earlier these days, and the dark was far more dangerous than ever before. Darkness attracted Death Eaters, dementors, and even more dangerous creatures.

A few days earlier, three Death Eaters had happened upon him. Before Charlie was able to escape, he had been wounded. His left side now ached where one of the Death Eaters had sliced him open. Despite Charlie's best efforts, the wound now seemed to be infected. This was not a normal infection. It was an infection spawned from Dark Magic. His best hope now was to get back home to the Burrow.

Charlie's attention was caught by the sound of a woman's voice. She sounded like she was calling for a child. He found her with his eyes. A slender, young woman with long, black hair was searching frantically through the trees and brush below.

"Dominic! We must get home," she called, in her native tongue. "You know it is too dangerous to be out at night now! Dominic!"

Charlie searched further around, and thanks to his aerial view, he spotted a small, dark-haired boy who seemed to be caught in a patch of brambles. Despite the pain it caused him, Charlie apparated to a spot near the boy. As Charlie approached the boy, he noticed that the boy's eyes were not open and he was not moving. Fear clenched his heart. The boy looked to be no more than three- or four-years-old, but he knew that Death Eaters did not differentiate between adult Muggles and Muggle children. To them, a dead Muggle was a dead Muggle, even a tiny, black-haired Muggle with skinned knees.

"No!"

The exclamation rushed from his lips without his noticing. But, he did notice the boy's jerky, surprised movement in response to his shout. Charlie couldn't believe his eyes. Now that he looked closely, he could see the rise and fall of the boy's chest. The boy was just sleeping!

Charlie had just reached into his cloak to retrieve his wand, planning to break away the thorny brambles, when a woman burst through the bushes. It was the same woman he had spotted earlier, the woman who was looking for the boy. She surveyed the scene with scared and accusing eyes.

"What have you done to him?" she cried, rushing to the boy's side. Disregarding the surrounding thorns and brambles, she lifted the boy into her arms, crushing him to her. She didn't notice the thorns that tore at her arms and dress. "Dominic, sweet boy, are you okay?" she whispered, tears forming in her eyes.

"It's alright," Charlie whispered, matching his tone to hers. He knelt down to a less-threatening height, trying to put her at ease. "I heard you searching for him. I just found him. I was going to call for you. I think he got caught in the brambles and just fell asleep."

The woman looked astonished to hear him speaking her language. She glanced at his brilliant orange hair and his highly freckled face. "You are…not from here," she said, hesitantly, as if she wasn't sure that she should be talking to him.

"No, I'm from England, but I have worked in your country for many years," Charlie said, relieved that she had spoken. He noticed that she was still regarding him suspiciously and said, "My name is Charlie."

Charlie held out his hand to her, wondering if she would shake it or spit at it. The woman merely looked at his hand. Charlie looked around as if looking for answers. He didn't find any, but he did notice that the sun had set.

"Let me see you home," he said, rising to his feet. He held out his hands to her once more, this time to help her to her feet. When she still didn't respond, he said, "My father would never forgive me if I left you here alone. _I_ would never forgive me. It is dangerous to be out at night now. Please, allow me to see you both back home."

Charlie's gaze was open and honest and appeared to convince her. With a slight nod of her head, she gave him her permission. Stifling a grimace, Charlie helped her to her feet. She still held the child, who now had his eyes open.

"Perhaps you should lead the way, since I don't know where you live," Charlie said, trying to block the pain in his side.

The woman nodded her agreement. She started off in the general direction of the village, walking slightly ahead of Charlie. The boy had yet to say a word, but when he realized they were going back home, he let out a scared little sound.

"It's okay, Dominic. Your father is gone. He won't be bothering you tonight," the woman assured the boy.

Overhearing her whispered remark, Charlie wondered what kind of monster the woman's husband was, but he carried on with his self-appointed duty. Occasionally, the woman glanced back as if to make sure that he was still there. Each time, Charlie smiled reassuringly, but he didn't feel "assured" at all. With each step, the pain in his side seemed to double. By the time they stopped at a meager cottage, beads of sweat had popped out on his brow. He really wasn't up to a row with a demented husband.

The woman opened the door and handed the boy to a girl who looked about 10-years-old. When she turned back toward Charlie, he was slumped up against the doorframe. She seemed to notice for the first time that he was ill and in pain. "You are hurt. Why didn't you say something?"

"I'm okay, really," Charlie managed to say. "I'll just get out of your way. Don't want to…cause trouble…with your husband…"

The woman looked torn between what to do. Finally, she took his arm and said, "Come with me."

"No. Your husband…no trouble," Charlie muttered, straining to make the words come out.

"I have no husband. Let me help you."

Charlie barely glimpsed a clean, tidy living room and kitchen before he was in a comfortable bed and everything went black.


	2. Chapter 2

Charlie's Romania

Chapter 2

By Ceeje

The sun was streaming in through his bedroom window, striking Charlie squarely in the face. He raised his left hand to shield his eyes, but stopped at the first jolt of pain. This time, instead, he raised his right hand to his face this time, and opened his eyes. He realized that he was not in his room back at the Burrow, as he had been dreaming. It was a clean, pleasant-smelling room, but one he had never seen before. Charlie instinctively reached for his wand, but noticed that his cloak and shirt had been removed. His side had been re-bandaged. He quickly spotted his clothes on a chair across the room. Before he could even begin to contemplate how to get himself across the room to it, the bedroom door opened.

"Oh, you're awake. I didn't know if you would wake up this morning or not."

Charlie immediately recognized the woman from last night and just as immediately remembered his bare chest. He glanced down. A blanket covered his lower half. Charlie found himself in the unusual position of being embarrassed. Growing up in a house full of kids, he was immune to most methods of embarrassment, having perfected most of them himself. But now, he could feel his cheeks growing pink, a color that didn't go well with his hair.

"Umm…how long have I been asleep?" Charlie asked, almost dreading the answer.

"Oh, just over night," she answered, setting down the tray she had been carrying. She saw him looking at his clothes across the room and blushed too. "I…um…had to remove your cloak and shirt so that I could clean your wound."

Charlie didn't know what to say, so he said nothing.

"I am very good at taking care of the sick. I have done it many times," she added, turning redder and redder with each syllable.

"Thank you. I already feel better," Charlie said, attempting to get up.

"No, you must lie down," she said, hurrying to his side. She placed a hand on his right shoulder and gently pushed him back onto the bed. "I've never seen an infection like that. Where did you get it?"

"I had the misfortune to come across some D--…um…men who were…uh…dangerous," Charlie answered, vaguely. He was sure that this Muggle did not know what a 'Death Eater' was, but the phrase alone was sure to scare her.

"Did they try to rob you?"

"Well...I think they were just looking for trouble." Charlie had just finished the sentence when his stomach made its own statement in the form of a loud growl.

"Oh, I guessed you might be hungry," she said, bringing the tray over to his bed. "Umm…I guess it might be kind of difficult to eat lying down. Hmmm…perhaps I could help you sit up. If we work together, it might not hurt so bad. Alright?"

Charlie didn't quite know what to say, so he just said, "Okay."

She wrapped her arms around him, under his arm, but above the wound. "You just hold on to me and push with your feet okay?"

"You can't lift me up," Charlie protested, feeling his cheeks grow warm again. She smelled like lavender and summer rain.

"Don't worry. I am stronger than I look," she smiled. "Okay?"

Charlie nodded, because he wasn't sure he could speak anymore.

"Okay. On the count of three. One…two…three!"

Charlie held is breath as she pulled and he pushed. He heard her whisper something, but couldn't understand the words. He released his breath in a rush and realized that it hadn't hurt as much as he had expected.

"Thank you…umm…I don't know your name…" Charlie began.

"Adrianna," she smiled again, and this time Charlie noticed the dimples that appeared in each cheek.

"My name is—"

"Charlie. I know. I remember." The dimples appeared again.

Charlie realized that he still had his arms around her, but he didn't want to let go. She seemed to notice their close proximity too, and quickly stood up. She picked up some nearby pillows and fluffed them. Then, she propped the now-fluffed pillows behind him and set the tray on his lap. She did all this without looking directly at him.

"Thanks," Charlie said, wanting to end the awkward moment that was developing. "For the food and the doctoring."

She finally looked at him and smiled again. "You're welcome."

Charlie watched her leave the room. By the time he remembered that there was food in front of him, it was cold. But, he was so hungry that he didn't care. The sausages and toast felt good on his empty stomach.

He pushed the tray away and looked around the room. It was small, but tidy. There was barely enough room for the bed, a wardrobe, a small bedside table, and the small chair his clothes were on. The crisp curtains on the window didn't block out the sunlight, but they did make the room feel comfortable. Charlie suddenly realized that this was a very feminine room: the lilac-colored blanket, the frilly curtains.

Adrianna entered the room with brisk efficiency. "Have you finished?" she asked, indicating his now empty plate.

"Yes, it was great."

Adrianna picked up the tray and turned to go.

"Wait!" Charlie said, startling himself and her.

Adrianna turned back toward Charlie and looked expectantly at him.

"I…um…uhhh…whose room is this?" he managed to finish lamely.

"It's mine," Adrianna replied.

Charlie swallowed the lump that formed in his throat. The room seemed a lot warmer too now. "This is…your room…your bed?" he managed to finally say.

"Yes, but it's okay. I can sleep in the girls' room," Adrianna said, dimpling again.

Charlie started to argue, "I really—"

"No, really. It is okay," she interrupted. "I'll be back in a little while to change your bandages and apply more ointment."

Charlie watched her leave the room, pulling the door to, but not closing it all the way. He could hear some children playing in other parts of the house. He remembered the man mentioned last night, but he thought she had said that she didn't have a husband. _Well_, Charlie reasoned, _you don't have to be married to have children_. He felt a little disappointed, but he didn't know why.


End file.

Harry Potter, Romance, Suspense